#FutureFestival First Look: My Feminist Boner

Sarah Blanc will be with us on the 5 & 6 May at 9pm with her show My Feminist Boner. We caught up with Sarah to find out why you should be buying tickets for the show, the best advice she has ever been given and her biggest influences!

You can expect lots of props, crazy beauty contraptions designed for women that you won’t believe exist, music that will make you want to get up on stage, a bit of dance and viaries (video diaries). You can expect a show about beauty and feminism. A show where I am trying to find space where I sit comfortably with my love for both things.

Who would enjoy seeing your show?

You will enjoy my show if you enjoy female led narratives, love 80s and 90s music, if you ever wrote in a diary when you were growing up and if you like a good laugh. You will enjoy the show if you sometimes feel like a walking contradiction e.g.. you fight for animal rights but also love a mac lipstick and if you have ever instagrammed yourself when being at a protest but then mocked other people for instagramming themselves when being at a protest!

What has been the best advice you have been given?

Best advice I have ever been given was by Lea Anderson about time restraints when making work. She said you need to look at how much time you have and be OK with letting some of your amazing ideas go into the bag for the next time. Focus on what you have time to do to make this version of the show the best version it can be. If you don’t have time to realise your full vision then select what you can achieve. Make those moments shit hot and the rest will fall into place when there is more time. That way when you get feedback or criticism you are clear on your choices and you know where you want to go with the piece next. Getting reviews for a show thats not completely finished is sometimes heart breaking so I thought this was very helpful.

What does your work aim to address?

We are looking at feminism and the beauty industry and how non mutually exclusive they can be. How as a woman who loves her make up, is sometimes not taken as seriously in some aspects of my life. Its a topic that is well trodden but Im hoping that my experience and how I approach the subject is different. Its been a real journey for me this show. It has brought up a lot of things about how my Dad sees women and their role in the world (in terms of beauty) and made me reflect loads on my own choices. I am really proud of what we are creating.

Who are your biggest influences?

Biggest influences… eeesch this is hard. I have so many OK so I really respect the work of Kristen Wiig, Bryony Kimmings, Lea Anderson, Ana Ljubinkovic, Britney Spears, Baz Luhrman, Pussy Riot, Frauke Requardt, Scottee, Eleanor Sikorski, Amy Bell….. gosh I could go on! I love colour but also love a bit of brutalist architecture and watching Broad City, Modern family and documentaries about any female popstar!

When did you first perform?

So I first R&D’d this show back in December 2015 and I brought the idea to Pulse Suitcase Prize Day in May 2016 and then Jacksons Lane in that July. Then in 2017 I performed a version of the full show at The Warren during Brighton Fringe. It was very rough and super scary but we got a great response, a 4 star review and an award nom so this has given me the confidence to develop it for Brighton Fringe 2018. What you will see is a completely new show/ I will have only performed it at Croydonites the night before my Marly gig. Ah nerve racking!

Why did you choose to perform at The Marlborough?

I feel the audience at the Marlborough will really be open to and get my work. I generally tour to the more fringe, queer festivally type circuit and venues, and in Brighton (not just during the fringe) I think for this kind of work, The Marlborough is the place to be. They are totally switched on, have an amazing respect within the industry and I am so chuffed to be on the line up.